


whisper in my ear (give us dirty laundry)

by glazedsun



Category: BBC Radio 1 RPF, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Hijinks & Shenanigans, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-08 00:57:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12243999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glazedsun/pseuds/glazedsun
Summary: Nick is hiding something, or someone, and Harry is determined to figure out who it is. If he hits a few bumps in the road along the way, well, that's just part of the territory.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt:  
> Because he never sees Louis during breaks any more, Harry always assumed it was him that Nick was secretly dating during 1D's breaks. Until one day, when Nick's busy with his partner, Harry sees Louis out at a party. It gets even weirder, when Louis says, "But I thought it was you he was fucking!" Harry and Louis spend the next few weeks investigating, and eventually work out who Nick's secret partner actually is.  
> Suggested pairing(s): Nick Grimshaw/Niall Horan or Nick Grimshaw/Liam Payne  
> Optional extras: Harry and Louis also being in secret relationships with other people (but not each other, obviously) and Harry and Louis stumbling upon Nick and his partner during sex.
> 
> hopefully this is what you had in mind, i know it was a lot of fun writing it! while this is mostly canon, i have fudged some details, mainly just switching locations around and blurring timing to make them better fit for the plot of the story. 
> 
> thank you to my lovely beta for being a soundboard when i was struggling and for the look over, and thank you to writcraft for organizing and running this fest!
> 
> title is from 'dirty laundry' by don henley.

For weeks now, they had been talking about meeting up, but it seemed that every time that Harry was free, Nick was busy. Harry had become suspicious of what Nick was doing early on, because the older man always seemed to go ghost on his social media those nights. If he was just out with the regular clique, it would be Instagram central. Something was going on, and Harry wasn’t impressed that Nick wasn’t sharing anything with him. 

The other thing that was a bit weird for Harry was Louis. While he didn’t normally spend much time with Louis outside of the band, they had gotten better in communicating after Zayn left the band. Harry wasn’t hearing much from Louis, especially around the time that Harry wasn’t hearing from Nick.

It was very suspicious, wasn’t it?

-

Harry’s at another industry party, charming his way through the crowd and keeping himself occupied. The main reason that he had agreed to come to this party was because he had expected Nick to be there. Just like every other time they had tried to meet up lately, though, it seemed that Nick was busy. Well, Harry had already committed to being here… he might as well try and have fun with it.

About an hour into the party, Harry is pleasantly buzzed and looking around for familiar faces. He blinks slowly when he sees one incredibly familiar face over at the bar. He walks over, pushing his way through the crowd and nodding to the bartender. “Thought you guys were busy tonight,” he says to the person next to him.

Louis turns toward Harry, startled and frowning in confusion. “I didn’t expect to see you here, either, thought you’d be with him.”

There is an awkward silence for a moment as they both stare at each other, trying to understand what exactly was going on.

“So you’re… not with Nick then?” Harry asks, slowly.

Louis blinks, eyes wide. “Me?! I thought he was with YOU!”

Both of them stare at each other again, processing what had just happened, before both burst out into laughter.

“Why would I be with Nick?” Louis asks once most of his laughter has calmed down.

“Well you’ve been so secretive lately, yeah? It’s been next to impossible to get a hold of you and you won’t tell me why. I’ve also been trying to spend some time with Nick, but he’s been busy and not sharing much either. It’s not like you and I see each other much, so it just… made sense that the two of you might be dating,” Harry explains.

Louis stares at Harry, shaking his head slowly and trying not to laugh. “Grimshaw? No way. And anyway, I thought it was YOU he was fucking!”

“Me?!” Harry gasps, startled. “Why would you think we are?!”

Louis gives Harry the most deadpan look that he could manage. “What do you mean, why?! You two have been practically married since, like, 2013.”

Harry makes a face. “He’s my best friend.”

Louis nods. “Well you’re definitely not dating him if you thought I was. So who the hell is he sleeping with? I know there’s someone, but who?”

“How do you know?” Harry asks, giving Louis a suspicious look.

Louis shrugs. “We talk from time to time. I know his Instagram habits enough to know what it means if he goes out but doesn’t post a million pictures and videos.”

“Huh, I never knew you guys talked.”

“Don’t tell me you thought I hated the guy, too.”

“You did!”

“I never hated him, Harold,” Louis rolls his eyes. “I just didn’t trust him or necessarily like him. And then I grew up and stopped being petty and gave him a chance. He’s a good guy, Grimmy. ‘m glad you have a mate like him.” He leaves the _to replace me since we’ve drifted apart_ unspoken, which Harry is grateful for. “You know what this means, right?” Harry shakes his head. “We need to get to the bottom of this.”

Harry lights up, nodding. “Yes we do. We are on the case of finding out who Grim is dating, and we will solve it.” He nods again for emphasis, excited at the idea of teaming up with Louis again. It had been awhile. “Speaking of unsolved cases…” He tilts his head as he looked at Louis, waiting expectantly.

“What?” Louis asks, sipping his drink, an innocent look on his face.

“You have been seeing someone, haven’t you? Even if it’s not Nick.”

“I do not know what you are talking about.”

Harry narrows his eyes, studying the other man and trying to read the secrets that he wasn’t spilling.

“You picked a bad day to try and keep a secret,” another person says from behind them, her voice sounding strangely familiar. She reaches for Louis’ drink, taking a sip from it.

Harry turns around, eyes widening when he sees Eleanor standing there, a smug smile on her lips. “El!” He exclaims, jumping up and immediately pulling her into a hug. “You guys got back together?!”

“Seems that way,” Louis says, looking up at Eleanor with all the joy and love that Harry remembers seeing when the two of them had been together the first time. It is a good look on him, so much better than the bitter, jaded look Harry sometimes used to catch on Louis’ face. Harry is glad to see them back together; he hopes his current relationship was as special as Eleanor and Louis’.

“Congrats,” Harry beams at them. “To it finally happening!” He holds up his glass, beaming even when Louis rolls his eyes but still indulges Harry by lifting his glass to Harry’s.

“What about you?” Eleanor asks after she finishes ordering a drink of her own. “Louis tells me you’ve been a bit sneakier than usual. Are you hiding someone special, too?”

“Mayyyybe,” Harry says slowly, trying not to look too obvious about it.

“In other words, yes but you aren’t sharing,” Louis says, making a face at Harry.

Harry laughs, big and bright. “Precisely!”

“Now how is that fair when you’re all upset about Nick not sharing who he is dating?” Louis whines. 

“It just is, young man. It is what it is.” With that, Harry pats Louis’ shoulder and kisses Eleanor’s cheek before bounding off, seeing someone else to talk to on the other side of the room.

-

“You know who should be in on this?” Louis asks from where he is sprawled out on his couch, cigarette in hand.

“Who?” Harry asks.

“Niall.”

“Too bad Liam’s off doing fatherly things, or we could have gotten the gang back together,” Harry says wistfully.

Louis snorts. “Can you imagine Grimmy’s reaction if he knew that his love life was what reunited One Direction once again?”

Harry can’t help but laugh as well. “He’d be insufferable. He can’t find out.”

“Nope,” Louis shakes his head, then sits up suddenly. “Actually, maybe Liam could help us. Cheryl and Nick are mates, right? We should get Payno investigating that angle for us. Maybe Nick’s decided to share his love life with her.”

“I’ll be upset if he shared it with her and not me,” Harry pouts a bit, but reaches for his phone anyway. He looks through his clocks to check what time it was in LA. It is late enough in the morning there that Liam is bound to be up, especially with a newborn baby in the house. He switches over to Face Time, sending a request for Liam.

“Harry!” Liam’s enthusiasm is contagious, making Harry beam at his friend. He looks a bit flushed, but seems to be outside somewhere.

“Are we interrupting something?” Harry asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Just on a run with Watson. Say hi, Watson!” Liam turns his phone so that his dog came into focus for a moment, then focuses it back on himself. “Who’s we?”

“Gotta stop ignoring my calls, mate,” Louis says, moving to sit next to Harry so that Liam could see them both.

“Then you’ve gotta stop calling me at two in the morning,” Liam laughs, his face scrunched in amusement. “What’s up, lads?”

“We have a favour to ask you,” Harry explains.

“Of course you do, can’t just have a chat anymore,” Liam sighs, an amused look on his face.

“Never. Who wants that? Focus, Liam.”

“Anything you say, Louis,” Liam replies, his voice dripping with sarcasm, which makes Louis beam. He is far too proud of how much he’d corrupted Liam.

“How’s your investigative skills? Well, actually we don’t need yours. Need your help recruiting someone else’s, more like,” Harry begins.

“To the point, Harold,” Louis sighs, patting Harry on the head. From anyone else, it might have been a patronising gesture, but it had stopped phasing Harry years ago.

“We are trying to figure out who Grimmy is dating,” Harry explains.

“And you think I would know that?” Liam asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Not you, your lovely lady,” Louis answers. “We need Cheryl to try and get it out of him.”

“He’s kept it private for a reason. Don’t you think we should respect that?” Liam asks, frowning a bit, concerned.

“He has been ignoring me, and I need to know who the reason is and how mad I should be,” Harry says. “Something’s fishy about it. I asked Daisy, she said that Nick hasn’t told anyone at all in the clique. They suspect something is up, too, but aren’t gonna go digging.”

“Maybe because they respect privacy?” Liam raises an eyebrow.

Louis makes a harrumph sound. “You’ve gotta admit it’s a little weird, Payno. You’re not even just a little curious why Nick hasn’t even shared it with Harry? I’m pretty sure he tells Harry when he has a bowel movement.”

“He does not!” Harry exclaims, swatting at Louis. “Only if he’s had lactose and is regretting it. Then he likes to have a good whine.”

“Okay, maybe it is weird that he’s not telling Harry,” Liam agrees, making a face. “I’ll ask Cheryl if she knows anything, but it’s up to her if she wants to try and get it out of him.”

“You’re the best!” Louis exclaims.

“I know,” Liam winks. “Oh, speaking of poo, someone’s just done a big one.”

Both Harry and Louis make a face. “I hope it’s the dog and not you,” Louis says, making both Harry and Liam laugh.

“Go take care of that, then. Keep us posted. We’re gonna try and recruit Niall next, apparently.”

“Suddenly Niall’s got some kind of inside info?” Liam asks.

“Figure maybe he can use his internet skills and charming personality. No one can keep secrets from Niall,” Louis explains.

“Good point. Good luck with that, lads! Tell him hello.”

“Will do. Give our love to Cheryl and Bear!” Harry exclaims. He turns back to Louis, grinning as they work out the next step of their plan.

-

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Harry asks as they drove up to Niall’s house a few days later, uninvited.

“Of course. It’s Niall. When has he ever turned down our company?”

“We don’t even know if he’s home,” Harry mutters under his breath. He suddenly remembers some of the reasons he’d stopped teaming up with Louis… but then again, he couldn’t deny that this was a bit exhilarating.

Louis just shrugs as he pulled in front of Niall’s house. “If he’s not, we come back when he is. He’ll love this, the Scooby gang solving mysteries.”

Harry sighs, knowing that Louis had a point. They walk up to the house, Louis pulling out a key. That makes Harry pause for a moment, reflecting. He knows Louis and Niall had been close all break, but didn’t know they’d reached this level of closeness. How much has he missed out on because he didn’t answer his phone? He shakes it off, following Louis into the house. He finds himself looking around. He can’t remember the last time he’d been here. It is just so… Niall. Meticulously clean, it would almost look cold if it wasn’t for the small personal touches throughout.

He doesn’t know where they are heading, but Louis seems very familiar with the layout of the house as they walk through, peering in rooms they expect Niall to be.

“I hear something over that way,” Harry says, pointing down the hall to what looked to be the living room.

Louis lights up, nodding, and walks in that direction. “Neil!” he calls out as they entered, suddenly stopping so fast that Harry walks right into him. “Oh!”

Confused, Harry steps out next to Louis, his eyes widening. “Um,” he says slowly.

Niall’s head whips around. “The feck are you two doing here?!” he gasps, reaching for a blanket to cover himself and the man underneath him.

“Wait a minute…” Louis says, squinting and trying to see who Niall was with, the man burying his face in Niall’s chest. “I think Niall solved our mystery after all,” he says gleefully.

Harry frowns, not comprehending for a split second, until some of the tattoos click for him. He gasps. “Grimmy?!”

Nick pulls his head away, grinning sheepishly at Harry and Louis. “Hiya,” he waves.

“Now that everyone knows each other, can you please leave?” Niall asks, his face tense with annoyance and anxiety.

“Nope, need to tell us all about this,” Louis grins.

Niall’s frown turns a bit more angry, but he melts when Nick presses a kiss to his forehead. “Then can you at least put the kettle on so we can get dressed? I don’t fancy having this conversation with a dick in my arse.”

Louis snorts, while Harry looks a bit scandalised, which makes Louis laugh. “Mate, don’t look like that. You literally start a song with masturbating.”

Harry laughs sheepishly and nods, following Louis into the kitchen.

“Coffee for me!” Nick calls to them, then begins to talk to Niall, their voices hushed.

“Did you know about this?” Harry asks once he gets the kettle and coffee maker both going.

“Obviously not, or we wouldn’t need to be detectives,” Louis rolls his eyes before rummaging through Niall’s cabinets, trying to find some food.

“No, I mean… the liking dick thing.”

Louis sets down the bag of crisps he was about to dig into, a look of surprise on his face. “You didn’t?”

Harry shakes his head. Had he really become that disconnected from Niall he couldn’t tell him something so big?

Louis shrugs, pulling himself up to sit on the counter, offering Harry some of the crisps. Harry shakes his head. “It’s just… Niall. He likes everyone, yeah? He’s never really subtle about it when he lets his guard down.”

“Did he actually… come out to you?” Harry asks, fiddling with his rings.

“Not really,” Louis shrugs. “Didn’t sit me down and give me the whole speech, anyway. I just kind of stopped assuming anything about him after a while until I saw him snogging a bloke on one of our Vegas trips.”

“I _knew_ someone was watching,” Niall says as he walks into the room, cosy in a pair of joggers and an oversized jumper that has to be Nick’s. “Lad thought I was drunk off my arse and sent me off to drink water and sleep.”

“I wasn’t watching, Horan,” Louis protests. “Just happened to spot it.”

“Just like you just happened to walk in on me today.”

“Exactly!”

Niall rolls his eyes and snags the bag of crisps from Louis’ hands, helping himself to a few before giving it back.

Harry watches the banter silently, the easy way they go back and forth bringing memories of tour flooding back. “Is this seriously happening?” He asks abruptly, three pairs of eyes turning on him.

“Do you have a problem with it?” Niall asks, his tone cold and harsh in a way that Harry has never heard directed at him.

“No! Not at all, it’s lovely,” Harry quickly defends himself. “Just… the band, together.”

“Almost all of the band,” Louis corrects him.

Niall softens, a faint smile on his lips. “If we have to do this whole talk, why don’t we give Liam a call so I can get this all over with at once?”

“Wonderful idea,” Louis says, pulling up his phone while Harry passes out tea and coffee. They all migrate out back into the living room while waiting for Liam to answer. Harry watches the way that Nick and Niall fall into each other so easily, the way that there was no hesitation when Nick’s arms went around Niall’s shoulder and Niall curved his body into the older man. It wasn’t uncommon for him to see Nick wrapped around others, but Harry has never seen this side of Niall. There’s no way this is just a bit of fooling around, he decides, based on their body language.

“Hey, Lou!” Liam greets with a little wave. “How’d it go with Nialler? I talked to Chez, she said she hasn’t heard anything from Nick.”

“What’s that about me? Are you lot investigating me?” Nick asks, a put off look on his face.

“Um,” Liam says, staring with wide eyes when Louis turns his phone so Liam could see Nick and Niall together.

“Niall definitely solved it for us,” Harry laughs.

“Hey, guy you’re talking about here!! What’s going on?!” Nick asks, waving the arm that isn’t around Niall’s shoulder.

Louis shrugs. “We came to ask Niall if he knew anything about your love life and if he could charm you into talking about it. Looks like he charmed you into more than just talking.”

“Why would you ask me that?” Niall asks.

“Everyone loves you,” Harry shrugs. “You seemed like our best bet to find out what was going on. So we came to talk to you, and instead we found you and Grimmy in a compromising situation.”

“I was so close, too,” Nick mutters under his breath, laughing when Niall pinches his arm. “You didn’t think to just, like, ask me?” Nick asks.

“You were being so secretive!” Harry explains. “You kept making all these excuses and being shady about where you were going and who you were with.”

“So you thought hey, why should the man have any privacy, even if we complain about not having any?” Niall asks, a smirk playing across his features.

“You’re all hiding relationships,” Liam complains.

“Not the point, Payne,” Louis says, waving off Liam, who makes a face at him. “We have all gotten together to hear the story of how Nick and Niall got together and why they decided to hide this from all of us.”

Liam makes another face, but nods with a little grin.

“Glad that’s settled. Now then, when did this all start?” Louis asks, looking expectantly over at Nick and Niall.

Nick and Niall both look at each other, sharing a little smirk, before looking back at the rest of the lads. “When you lads did your Live Lounge,” Nick answers.

“No fucking way you have been hiding this for that long!” Louis exclaims, his eyes wide.

“You’ve had other boys since then, Nick!” Harry adds in surprise.

Nick rolls his eyes, visibly trying not to laugh at their reaction, which makes Harry want to throw something at him. They had to know this was the reaction that they would get. “It was a one-off, then. We got to talking after the gig, and, well. Things escalated.”

Louis leans in to point at the image of Liam. “I told you Nick was flirting!” His outburst makes Liam laugh and nod, shrugging a little.

“Was it that obvious?”

“Mate, you wouldn’t stop trying to touch him. And the way you were looking at him. Don’t think I didn’t notice,” Louis snickers, wiggling his eyebrow.

“Then why didn’t you think that Grimmy might be with me now?” Niall asks, raising an eyebrow.

Louis shrugs. “Forgot about it, didn’t I? Was two years ago.”

“Pity what old age does to a man,” Niall mutters, his whole face lighting up with amusement when Louis lets out an indignant “OI!” and reaches over to try to swat at him, only to be stopped when Nick grabs his hands.

“Can’t keep track of everyone Nick flirts with, it’s impossible,” Louis makes a face, pouting a bit as he sits back, which make Nick and Niall laugh even more.

“If it was a one-off, how’d you two get together this time, then?” Liam prods once all of their laughter calmed down.

“We ran into each other at some party or event, and all I could think about was Nick’s big hands all over my body.”

“Oh god,” Louis groans, making a face.

Of course, Harry has to take the opportunity to get back at him for earlier. He nudges Louis with his elbow, muttering, “Mate, you wrote a song about morning wood.”

Louis snaps his head around to look at Harry, his mouth open in surprise. It has been a long time since Harry had been able to throw Louis’ words back at him like that, and it felt good. It feels like old times again. Suddenly Harry’s heart feels full and warm, especially when he notices the way that Liam and Niall both look so proud.

“We didn’t wind up hooking up that night,” Nick continues on. “Did make plans to meet up and have a pint, and it just kind of… went from there.”


	2. Chapter 2

Nick was deep into a heated debate over the latest Bake Off news when he spotted him across the room. Niall was engrossed in a conversation of his own, head thrown back in laughter, cheeks pinked up. Nick didn’t know whether it was the laughter and conversation or the alcohol that had Niall’s skin so flushed, but either way he couldn’t help but appreciate it.

He didn’t realise that he was staring until Daisy clears her throat. When Nick turned to look back at her, she had a smug look on her face, shooting a pointed glance in Niall’s direction. “Has he become your type suddenly?”

“When has pretty pop star with an accent ever _not_ been my type?” Nick shot back, taking a long swig of his drink. 

She rolled her eyes before looking back to Niall, studying him. “Don’t know, Grim. He just seems so… chill. Folky. The opposite of you.”

“Well, you know what they say. None of that shit matters in the sack.” With a wink, he began to head in Niall’s direction.

This was the first time that he’d seen Niall since they had shagged. He’d certainly seen the pictures, but those didn’t prepare him for this version of the man in front of him. He looked good. Rested, relaxed. Glowing. The dark hair suited him. His jeans clung to his body, and Nick just wanted to destroy him. However, he had no idea how Niall would react to him, how he felt about what had happened between them. There was no time like the present to find out.

He effortlessly slid into the group that was growing around Niall, staring at Niall with something akin to awe. Nick understood. Niall was magnetic, effortlessly charming.

“Nicholas!” Niall grinned when he caught sight of Nick.

“Niall!” Nick returned the greeting with equal enthusiasm.

Nick let Niall come to him, smiling when the young man opened his arms for a hug. They embraced warmly, Nick just barely resisting the urge to turn his face and inhale the smell of Niall’s hair; had even that changed since they last saw each other? “Good to see you, Grim,” Niall murmured, neither of them apparently in any hurry to pull away, letting the hug linger on a bit more than perhaps a typical length.

The only reason that Nick even pulled away was because he could suddenly feel the curious looks of those surrounding them. He stepped back, making note of the way that Niall’s touch lingered for as long as it could. Alright, then. He could work with this. There was a very good chance he’s going to pull tonight.

-

They sort of just… fell into a series of hook-ups. Sometimes it happened when they were both out, at a club or event; more often, it happened with a progression of selfies and one showing up on the other’s doorstep.

Then Niall started just showing up at Nick’s after long days in the studio, exhausted and emotionally drained. They fell into each other differently those nights. On those nights, the conversation flowed as easily as kisses were shared other nights. Somewhere along the timeline of their hook-ups, Nick realised, Niall had become someone he considered a close friend.

Not long after Nick’s realistion, he learned that Niall feels the same way. He was just leaving the BBC when he got a text from Niall, inviting him to the studio and asking him to bring lunch. Nick stared at his phone in awe. He has learned how much of a perfectionist Niall was about his music. Shit, the lad threw out a song that he wrote with Don fucking Henley, his idol. Nick’s asked before to hear the new stuff, but Niall always kept it pretty quiet. Until that day.

He showed up to the studio an hour later, carrying an assortment of sandwiches from Gregg’s, not sure what to expect. Niall came out to meet him.

“There he is!” Niall greeted him, opening his arms for a hug. Nick hugged him tightly.

“Here I am,” he agreed when they parted and began walking to the spot Niall and his band were using. “What made you decide to finally invite me today?”

Niall shrugged, pausing for a moment outside of the closed studio door. He turned to Nick, studying him for a moment. “Just have a good feeling about today, like we are going to create something incredibly special. I wanted to share it with someone.”

Nick blinked, trying to read the expression on Niall’s face. “And you called me? Not one of the lads in your band? They not in town?”

Niall’s cheeks turned a bit pink, “No, ah. Didn’t ask them. Wanted to share it with you.” Before Nick could press further, Niall swung open the door and yelled “Food’s here!” to the people lounging about. He didn’t even have time to dwell on what it might mean as he was suddenly being introduced to a bunch of people.

Watching Niall at work was fascinating. It was rare that Nick wanted to focus on something for a long period of time when he wasn’t the center of attention, but before he knew it, hours had passed and he had a dozen WhatsApp and text messages waiting for him when he looked at his phone. He replied to a few of them while the band set up for the last song of the day. His attention was immediately drawn back to the studio when a full orchestra came in. Nick looked over at Niall, raising an eyebrow when he caught the young man’s attention. Niall just winked at him, beaming.

A hush fell over the studio after the third run through of recording the song. Nick held his breath, caught in the spell that had fallen, a lump in his throat. A few moments later, the spell was broken. “Holy shit,” Nick breathed out.

“Don’t think we need another run through of that one,” the producer said. Niall nodded in agreement, and one by one the musicians filed out of the recording booth.

“Well?” Niall asked, shy and soft when he looked at Nick.

“That was bloody brilliant,” Nick murmured, standing up and walking over to embrace Niall. Niall murmured a thank you back, burying his face in Nick’s shoulder for a moment. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”

Niall nodded, hugging Nick back tightly. He pressed a kiss to Nick’s temple, letting his lips linger before his attention was pulled away by one of his bandmates. “You’re coming back to mine later, right?” Niall asked, waiting for Nick to agree before going to join Bird. Nick watched him go, a soft smile on his face.

-

Something shifted between them after that night, though it wasn’t anything that Nick noticed at first. They were still having sex, lots of sex, but they were also spending other time together. It all came to a head one night when Niall was over at Nick’s. 

Niall moved effortlessly through Nick’s kitchen, almost as if it were his own. He hummed to himself while he cooked, occasionally looking down to speak to the dogs, who of course followed him around like he was the Pied Piper. As Nick relaxed with how domestic it felt, a thought occurred to him. He walked over to Niall, wrapping his arms around the Irishman and bending to rest his chin on the other man’s shoulder. “Are we dating?”

To Nick’s surprise, Niall started laughing. Like, full-fledged laughter, his head tilted back and face scrunched up.

“What?!” Nick whined, pinching at Niall’s side.

“Took you long enough,” Niall snorted. “I’ve been waiting for you to realise it.”

Nick stepped back, crossing his arms and making an annoyed face at Niall, who turned around to face him. “Are you saying that you knew that we were dating and you didn’t think to tell me?!”

“I mean, I thought you knew too?” Niall shrugged, looking completely relaxed and nonplussed. 

“Aren’t you supposed to like, ask me to be your boyfriend if you want to be dating? Isn’t that how this works?” Nick asked. 

Niall shrugged, a smile playing over his lips. “Dunno, mate, never done this before. Just kind of... figured it was happening and that was that.”

“We are hopeless,” Nick decided, laughing and kissing Niall’s neck.

“And I wouldn’t change a thing,” Niall agreed, turning around in Nick’s arms to face the other man, giving him a slow kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

“I just can’t believe you’ve both managed to keep it hidden this well for so long,” Liam says when Nick finishes the last bit of the story. 

Niall shrugs a bit, grinning some. “I mean, I think people have long given up trying to ask me about my relationships. Other than, you know, nosy interviewers.” He makes a face at Nick, who looks scandalised.

“And here I always try to ask about your golf and selfies instead! The audacity to accuse me otherwise, Horan!”

“Good to know you still can’t pronounce his name even though you’re dating,” Louis snorts.

It quickly turns into a friendly squabble between the two of them, and Harry starts to tune out when Niall and Liam somehow get involved. He’s still trying to come to terms with the idea that two of his closest friends would hide something so big from him. It makes him wonder, but then again… it’s not like Louis or Liam knew, either. Maybe it wasn’t just because Harry backed off a bit that Niall hadn’t told him. 

“Does anyone know?” he asks suddenly, breaking into the banter, needing to know that this wasn’t something personal.

Everyone blinks for a moment at the sudden change in subject, then Nick shakes his head. “Not that we’re aware of. The lads in Niall’s bands may have a suspicion. Emily, maybe, from living with her. Niall’s cousin, too. Other than that, we’ve kept it to ourselves.”

“Why?” Harry presses.

Niall shrugs. “Wasn’t anything serious at first, I guess, so it didn’t seem necessary to tell anyone. Then we just got used to it as time went on, and it was a bit of fun having a secret.”

“Though that apparently backfired and led to an investigation,” Nick rolls his eyes, then his eyes widen. “Wait, holy shit. I reunited One Direction, didn’t I?!” Louis groans, covering his face with his hands and shaking his head, muttering about how he knew this was going to happen. Nick just continues on, looking incredibly proud of himself. “My sex life was the catalyst to bring the lads back.” He looks between the four of them, beaming. “Does this mean I can be the fifth member of the band?”

There is no hesitation whatsoever. All four lads reply in unison, “No.”

Nick whines a bit, Niall patting him on the back. “It’s nothing personal, love. You just… can’t sing for shite.” 

Everyone bursts out into laughter at that, especially at the wounded look on Nick’s face, though moments later he shrugs and agrees. “Guess I’ll just have to stick with being your number one interviewer.”

“Precisely,” Harry grins, looking around the room. While he was loving all the experiences he was having as a solo artist, he realises in that moment that nothing will ever compare to the feeling that he has when he’s with these boys. Nothing will ever hold the same warmth and familiarity as being with them.

“So when are we going to find out who you’ve been sneaking around with, Harold?” Nick asks.

Harry just smirks, “Never.”

“The Scooby gang is on the mystery!” Louis exclaims, clapping his hands together, already probably plotting all sorts of ways they can investigate and learn Harry’s secret.

Harry just smiles, big and open and bright. He’ll tell them. Probably within the next couple of days. Until then, though, it’s more fun to watch them come together, Nick included, in a way they haven’t in ages.


End file.
